Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson has died aged 76.
The former politician died at 3.50am on Saturday after weeks of influenza and pneumonia, 2GB Breakfast host Ben Fordham announced after speaking to his wife and son.
“Darcy and Amanda have asked me to share the news with everyone that, sadly, Richo has passed away in the early hours of this morning,” Fordham said.
Politics was an integral part of Mr Richardson’s life, from the time he dived headlong into Labor’s factional brawls in the 1960s to his final days.
Cutting short his university degree to learn from the party’s toughest powerbrokers, he emerged as the youngest ever general secretary of the NSW Labor Party at the age of just 26.
At Labor’s Sydney headquarters, Mr Richardson became known as the “numbers man” for the right-wing faction.
By 1983, Mr Richardson’s influence reached to the top of Labor, as he delivered the numbers to dump leader Bill Hayden in favour of Bob Hawke.
At 33, he negotiated his own way into parliament to become the youngest senator ever elected at the time.
He was later installed as the minister for environment and sustainability.
Mr Hawke needed Mr Richardson’s deal-making skills to secure an alliance with the Australian Democrats and early Green parties to win a tight election in 1990.
Richardson at a NSW State Labor Conference in Sydney on July 30, 2017. (AAP: Daniel Munoz)
In exchange, Mr Richardson blocked Tasmania’s Wesley Vale pulp mill and saved the Daintree rainforest, staring down angry timber workers at ugly demonstrations.
Politics was an integral part of Mr Richardson’s life, from the time he dived headlong into Labor’s factional brawls in the 1960s to his final days.
Political scandals, ill health and television career
However, the relationship with Mr Hawke soured in 1990, and Mr Richardson transferred his allegiance and numbers to Paul Keating, who became prime minister in December 1991.
Mr Richardson was appointed minister for transport and communications, but his close relationship with media magnate Kerry Packer earned him the nickname “the Minister for Channel Nine”.
His dream job did not last long. He was forced to resign and head to the backbench after revelations he used his position and influence to carry out a migration scam in what became known as the Marshall Islands affair.
Following Mr Keating’s surprise election win in 1993, Mr Richardson returned to cabinet as minister for health.
His portfolio grew to take in the environment and sport after another government scandal, but once again, his tenure was short-lived.
Just four weeks later, the 45-year-old retired from parliament, citing ill health.
Mr Richardson went on to capitalise on his extensive contacts and forge a career as a corporate negotiator, broadcaster and commentator.
But he never appeared far from controversy, with allegations of his involvement in sex scandals, dodgy developments and secret deals.
He was a familiar face on election night panels and a very unpopular choice as the mayor of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Village.
Yet he kept up his busy schedule despite his deteriorating health, penning a regular newspaper column and appearing alongside Alan Jones for a weekly television program on Sky News.
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